


just (almost) married

by onthighsbelongtotaemin



Category: SHINee
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Character, Romance, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8819434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onthighsbelongtotaemin/pseuds/onthighsbelongtotaemin
Summary: taeyeon marries eunsook.





	1. just (almost) married

Taeyeon sits alone in a small room, the sun streaming through the half-closed blinds making everything seem soft, & illuminating the bits of dust floating through the air.  There is a large green plant on a table that has no smell except the dirt it’s planted in, & she tries not to breathe the heady scent in too deeply as she rocks back & forth in her seat.  Her hands are fisted near her face, her right thumb rubbing over her rosary ring as she prays Hail Mary over & over.  Her voice is a gentle murmur in the silent room, the cacophony of voices of guests filling the church muted by the closed door, & the sound of her own words.

It’s very nice but she knows she’s not supposed to be in here. The wedding will begin soon & no one knows that she’s back here & she has no way of telling them because she can’t leave her seat, her eyes squinting shut when she thinks about moving, & her prayer growing a touch louder.  Time passes slowly & relaxes as she focuses on the feeling of the warm metallic bumps of her ring, & the sound of her voice.

A gentle knock on the door, followed by an uncertain “Tae?” startles her, & she loses her place in her prayers.  There’s another knock, & she wants to be respond but she can’t get the words together, & she still can’t get out of her chair, so she mimics the knock on the door, rapping her knuckles against the table with the potted plant, & hopes that the sound is recognized.

It is.  The door opens slowly & Eunsook’s face appears, the one that means that she’s not happy & not sad.  Taeyeon is startled by how pretty her fiance looks; she didn’t think Eunsook could be more beautiful than she naturally was.  Her face has been simultaneously softened & sharpened by cosmetics that could only have been applied by Gwiboon’s skilled hand, & her dove gray dress is form-fitting, the cut perfect to accentuate her hourglass figure.

She listens to the click of the door being shut, a sound that is a bit too loud in the small room, & not one of her favorites.  Eunsook moves to kneel down, her hands floating above Taeyeon’s knees, waiting for permission to touch her.  Taeyeon gives it with a nod & the warmth of Eunsook’s hands on her thighs is so nice, she thinks, as her body rocks, & her thumb continues its ministrations.  She clasps her empty hand over Eunsook’s & focuses on how soft the other’s skin is; how soft it always is.

They’re not supposed to see each other, it’s back luck if they see each other, that much Taeyeon had known about weddings before they began planning theirs.  But Minho had explained that it was a fable, a silly tradition without meaning, & that she didn’t need to hide from Eunsook at all.  Which was a relief to hear because it had not been something she had wanted to do.  So she’s glad to see her, feel her hands on her legs & beneath her own palm, to smile down at her & her in-between face.

“Are you ready?”, Eunsook asks, her voice hopeful & sweet. Taeyeon nods again, her heart skipping a beat as she realizes that this is The Moment she’s been waiting for for the last three months.  Eunsook slips her hand out from beneath Taeyeon’s, standing up, & reaches out palm up, a gesture that reminds Taeyeon of princes in fairy tales, & she takes it happily, finally rising out of her chair.

The room is small & it’s only two steps to the door, & she braces herself for the noise that had caused her to hide in a strange room with pretty sunlight & fragrant dirt.  To her relief, the hallways is nearly silent, the guests having been seated in preparation of the ceremony.  She doesn’t know that but it’s what she thinks must have happened.  Either that or they all left &, as long as Minho & Gwiboon are still there, she’s fine with that conclusion as well.

The doors to the sanctuary are closed when they arrive & she sees Gwiboon & Minho before they see her.  Gwiboon is leaning against the wall, smiling up at Minho who has his hands in his pockets, & is smiling back down at her.  Eunsook has said that she gives it three months’ tops before they move in together, & Taeyeon has placed her bets at five.  The pair look up at the sound of the brides approaching & Gwiboon pushes herself up, the white lilies in her hands a stark contrast to her dark pink dress.  Neither Eunsook nor Taeyeon have chosen to carry bouquets of their own, but Gwiboon had insisted on being able to carry flowers.  Minho’s shirt is a matching shade of deep pink, & his pants are a darker hue of the gray of Eunsook’s dress.  Taeyeon is the only one in white, it was one of the few wedding traditions she had been enamored with, & when they had gone shopping she had picked out a pair of white silk pants & a long-sleeved white lace top.

“You look beautiful honey,” Gwiboon says, smiling.  She lets out a soft gasp as Taeyeon suddenly embraces her, something she doesn’t do often, not even when she wants to.

“You really do,” comes a deep voice from behind.  She keeps her arms around Gwiboon until it becomes too much, & then turns to Minho, leaning into his hug, & letting him kiss her hair.

The same is done & said to Eunsook & Taeyeon watches happily because she agrees; she thinks they all look beautiful.

After a quick, elated, shrug of her shoulders, Gwiboon knocks gently on the door & they side open, two ushers, Eunsook’s cousins Jinki & Taemin, propping them up like a pair of gentries.  Music begins to play, a melody that Eunsook had picked out, & that had made Taeyeon feel soft inside, made her think of the velvety petals of violets.  Minho extends his elbow & Gwiboon slips her hand through it, & then they are gone, strolling down the aisle to where the minister waits for them in the front.

Her throat suddenly feels dry.  A few swallows make her feel better, but she’s still rubbing the decades & it’s beginning to make her feel self-conscious.  She closes her eyes to block out the thoughts & tries not to cry.

“Hey.  Look at me. Look at me.”  Taeyeon feels Eunsook’s soft hands on her face & breathes deeply, the fresh scent of soap & the gentle pressure against her cheeks already making her feel a bit better.  Her eyes open & she swallows again, keeping her gaze steady.

“It’s our wedding day.  They’ll wait for us.  Take your time.”  She nods while she speaks & Taeyeon nods as well to show that she’s listening. That’s right, it’s their wedding day. She’s the bride & that means she can do as she likes, even keep them waiting.  Eunsook’s hands on her face feel so nice so she waits a little bit longer than she needs before she presses her own hand to her fiance’s & leans in to kiss her on the nose.  Eunsook giggles & pulls away, the abrupt departure of her warm palms a disappointment, but Taeyeon is ready to be a wife.

Their fingers are laced together as they walk down the aisle & Taeyeon avoids looking at their friends & family filling up the pews, keeping her eyes focused on the base of the altar.  She especially avoids looking at the empty space where her parents should be, focusing her thoughts on how good it feels to have Eunsook’s hand in her owns.

The ceremony is brief & the minister’s voice is soothing. It reminds her of Eunsook’s cousin Jinki’s voice.  She loves it when Jinki speaks, even more when he sings; his voice makes her think of warm honey & soft blankets, everything that feels like home.   Eunsook hasn’t let go of her hand, & the other is still fisted near her face.  She’s forgotten to be self-conscious about it, too excited & happy to be marrying this beautiful woman to concern herself with what anyone else thinks.

Her face is beginning to hurt from smiling, but it’s a nice pain, & Eunsook is smiling too, & she thinks about how they’ll be kissing soon with their sore faces & it makes her smile even brighter.

“Now that the boring part is over,” the minister begins, eliciting a gentle laugh from the audience that Taeyeon doesn’t quite understand, “The brides have written their own vows that they will now share.”  He nods towards Eunsook, a gentle smile on his face.  He’s quite elderly, old enough to be their grandfather, & he smells of cedar & spices.  Gwiboon had recommended him because Taeyeon had wanted a religious ceremony but had known that they could not be married in her church, her priest gently explaining that they would not be allowed to partake of the Sacrament of Marriage.  The minister, however, had responded enthusiastically to their request, thrilled that women of their generation were “committed to the beautiful institution of marriage”, & had listened intently to their requests & questions, answering them thoughtfully & assuaging their concerns.  He had made his way onto Taeyeon’s “safe” list, & she hoped that they would continue to visit after the ceremony.

“Taeyeon,” Eunsook begins, taking the silver band that Gwiboon hands her, her head tilting to the side, & her thumb beginning to rub gently across Taeyeon’s knuckles.  

“I love you so very much.  I am honored beyond words that you have chosen me to be your wife, to be the one you spend your life with.  The one who gets to fall asleep with you at night, & the one who gets to wake up with you in the morning.  I promise to love you, to care for you, to respect you, to listen to you, & to be your friend.  And I will choose you, every day, to be my friend, my love, & my wife.”  She lets Taeyeon’s hand go & slips the ring over her finger.  Her eyes are glistening as they clasp hands again, & Taeyeon squeezes Eunsook’s fingers in affection.

It’s Taeyeon’s turn to speak.  Her words sit on the tip of her tongue, & on a piece of paper tucked in her pocket, a back-up in case her lips chose to rebel today.  

“Taeyeon?”  The minister is looking at her with those kind eyes & she hesitates, torn between attempting to speak, & passing her words to Minho to read for her.  Her eyes are locked on Eunsook’s, on the deep brown eyes of the woman she loves & is nearly married to.  The thought is mesmerizing, & she feels her hand suddenly becoming still.

“Eunsook,” she begins, her voice quiet because she is nervous, & because these words are not meant for anyone else.

“You are the most amazing woman I have ever known.  You are kind, strong, smart.  You make me happy, you make me feel safe.  The world is strange & confusing, but as long as you’re here, as long as you’re with me, I am happy to be in it.  I love you so much, even from the day we met, & I want to spend my life loving you, every day.  I promise to do my best to make you as happy as you make me, & to make you feel as safe as I feel with you.”  The ring she pulls out of her pocket is a bit more elaborate than the one on her finger, a floral etching around the edge a delight to her eyes, & she had liked the way it felt when she picked it up, the rough texture as she had held Eunsook’s hand in the store.  It slides over Eunsook’s waiting finger smoothly & she squeezes her hand again, relieved.

“By the power given to me by God & by the state, I pronounce you, Eunsook Lee, & Taeyeon Lee, married.  You may now, each kiss the bride.”  He winks & there’s a mixture of applause & laughter that Taeyeon neither sees nor hears because she is too busy pressing a kiss to her wife’s soft lips, happy to be married to her best friend, thrilled to be Mrs. Eunsook Lee.


	2. happy tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> junghee attends their ex’s wedding & cries because they’re happy

“are you going to be ok?”  junghee glanced over at kibum in the mirror as they adjusted their earring.

“why wouldn’t i be?”  he was lying on the bed behind them watching as they dressed. his suit fit well, they thought, though he still needed a tie.

“you are going to the wedding of the great love of your life. and she’s not marrying you.” junghee blew a puff of air out through their lips & went back to putting their earrings on.

“she’s not the great love of my life.”, they replied, though inwardly they sighed because they were both right.

it’s not that they believed in soul mates, but eunsook had been the first person they had felt they might be in love with.  and it freaked them out.  they were young, early years of college, & they broke it off as soon as they realized the skip of their heart only happened when their girlfriend came around.  they were gentle of course, it had been amicable, though they had wondered more than once if eunsook had never felt the same way, that that was why she so easily let go.  it was almost a comfort.

but junghee had wrested with regrets for weeks before they finally went to eunsook to see if they could reconcile, if they could try again.  but it was too late.  it was so too late.

the first time they saw taeyeon with eunsook was the moment they knew it was all over.  it wasn’t so much how happy eunsook was, how she laughed & smiled & held the other girl’s hand.  it was how enamored taeyeon was, so breathtakingly in love.  and so young.  even if they had been willing to fight for eunsook they couldn’t bring themselves to battle that beautiful young girl.  so they walked away, letting their heart be broken in her place.

today they’re going to their wedding.  they fluff their hair as they take in their reflection: [black miniskirt that gave the illusion of length to their rather short legs; black stilettos to help with height (& because they loved them); a gold sequined sleeveless crop top](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F236x%2F44%2F84%2F5d%2F44845d4647f7f23531b61b170ce2fa99.jpg&t=MWMzMzFlY2U3NzIxMjhjOGEwMDQ2Zjg0YzMwYTliNWU5MGIwMjdiNyxhVktZZDE1aA%3D%3D&b=t%3AAJ2kV5G_OkUCfdnSaezjSQ&m=1).  they pull at the hem nervously, biting their lip as they look up at kibum’s reflection.

“how do i look?”

“amazing.  you’re going to outshine the brides.”  they scrunch up their face & throw a tie at their boyfriend.

“don’t say that.  no one can outshine those two today.”

they’re right.  eunsook looks stunning in her dove gray dress, her hair flowing & her make-up perfect.  junghee sees gwiboon’s hand in that & makes a note to make sure to speak with their old friend when the ceremony is over.  taeyeon’s simple white outfit is the perfect contrast.  the wedding is brief & the vows make junghee cry with happiness.  they lean their head against their boyfriend’s shoulder & dab their face as the tears fall.  

they follow the line to the reception hall, holding kibum’s wrist in their hands & making small talk, mostly about how beautiful everything was, until it’s their turn to congratulate the brides.  they reach taeyeon first & reach out to pat her on the head, a compromise they’ve developed between junghee’s affectionate nature & taeyeon’s general dislike at being touched.  the bride grins at them & tells them how pretty they look, smiling & nodding when junghee returns the compliment.

they laugh as eunsook pulls them into a tight embrace, a “thank you so much for coming” spoken into their ear & they nod & say “of course” when they’re finally released.  there’s so much joy standing in front of them & they’re near tears again.  they wish the brides luck & enter the reception hall, leaning into the arm kibum places around their shoulder & smiling when he kisses their hair.


End file.
